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They were still several feet away from Jemma. Paris smirked in her direction. “It’s that witch again. She can turn a perfectly sweet woman into a raving lunatic. She has the power of possession, I tell you.”

William shook his head, not answering. Paris could see where William’s eyes were focused.

“You are avoiding her today,” Paris said softly.

William shrugged. “I have other things on my mind.”

They had reached Jemma. She scowled up at Paris and he made a face back at her.

“If you do not behave, I shall take this food back,” he warned her.

She snatched the cloth away from him. “Give me that.”

In spite of what he said about her, Paris was beginning to like Jemma. She reacted exactly the way he wanted her to and it greatly amused him. He wondered if her hostility towards him was real.

“Now that is not all for you, though I am sure you would make a fine glutton,” he told her. “You must share with your cousin.”

She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed uproariously.

William dug his hand into the cloth and withdrew a piece of black bread and a hunk of white cheese. Without a word he walked across the clearing to where Jordan was standing in the shade.

She was crying. He could hear her sniffle and watched her hastily wipe her eyes when she realized he was standing there.

“What do ye want?” she demanded.

He cocked an eyebrow. “I have brought your nooning meal,” he replied. “I can just as easily take it back.”

“Then take it back,” she snapped.

He didn’t move. It was unlike her to be so abrasive and he let it go.

“What did Jemma say to you to get you in such a fine mood?” he asked.

“Nothing, English,” she said quietly. “Just…leave me be.”

He ignored her request. Reaching out, he took her by the hand and led her over to a large boulder where he sat her down and held the bread out to her. She eyed it stubbornly for a moment before accepting it and taking a healthy bite. She ate half of it before he spoke to her again.

“Now tell me what is wrong,” he commanded softly.

What could she tell him? That her whole morning had been filled with a myriad of emotions, on top of the fact that she was to meet her new bridegroom today? And now, to finish everything, she was sun-burned? When she repeated it all in her head, she felt foolish. If she told him he would probably think she was an idiot.

“I….my skin is burned,” she finally said.

He fought off a smile, “Is that all? Let me see.”

She tilted her head up, revealing a neck and shoulders so creamy and delicious that he had to fight himself to keep from plunging his face into the softness. But he did touch her, just to see how pink she was.

“That’s nothing,” he said. His voice was rich and soothing, husky to the point of seductiveness. “Why, I could not even tell had you not told me. I shall retrieve your cloak and that will protect you.”

She eyed him for a moment until he was almost uncomfortable with her stare. Before he could ask why she was looking at him so, she shook her head.

“What is it with ye?” she demanded softly, as if not really expecting an answer. “Ye are the most confusing person I have ever met.”

His brows drew together. “Me? Why do you say that?”

She felt like spouting off at him. Her emotions had been running so daft the past three days that she felt like telling him everything he had done to make her so baffled that she didn’t know her own name half the time. Mayhap she should not be so vocal, but she did not care at the moment. Mayhap after she was done there would be time to be embarrassed.

“I shall tell ye why.” She hopped off the boulder and put down the cheese, putting her hands on her hips as she faced him. “Ye’re driving me insane with yer moods and yer actions. In front of yer men ye’re a harsh, cold man who looks at me as if I were a leper. But when we’re alone ye are the kindest of souls and I feel safe with ye.” She moved closer to him and lowered her voice. “I have slept in yer arms for two nights now, English, and I would be lying if I said that there were sweeter things in heaven and earth than that. But I canna fathom yer thoughts and I feel sick to my stomach all of the time because ye make me daft.”